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The captivating impact of Gulf State finances has profoundly transformed the Premier League.
It will require some time to determine whether these financial assets will endure.
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Up until now this season, both Manchester City and Newcastle, the two teams that have notably benefited from this wealth, are falling short of expectations.
It’s fair to assert that Pep Guardiola’s team hasn’t impressed their fans so far—though I suspect this won’t continue.
Newcastle finds itself hovering around the mid-table along with City, a position that is likely acceptable for Eddie Howe, his team, and the supporters along the Tyne.
Concerns are rising regarding the ethics of allowing any football club to be financed by a state.
A new Parliamentary Bill is currently under consideration.
During a debate I attended in the House of Lords last week, Lord Scriven articulated his viewpoint clearly: “There is a particular issue regarding the Gulf states.
“If individuals face potential execution for being gay in a state, should that allow a state entity or a government official to own an English club? It’s a simple question.”
Yet, like many other queries, this one went unanswered. Reportedly, a formal reply will be stored in the ‘library’.
Let’s hope he doesn’t wait as long for that answer as Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has taken to respond to the Premier League clubs she invited to discuss the Bill.
We have now been waiting for five months and counting…
Fans perplexed as Donald Trump shares a peculiar video message to friend ‘Jonny’ Infantino prior to the Fifa Club World Cup draw
Similar funding is anticipated to support the 2034 Saudi World Cup, avoiding scrutiny from the 211 national federations or anyone else apart from media and activists.
Critics emphasize that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of workers lost their lives while constructing the stadiums for the 2022 World Cup in neighboring oil state Qatar.
These tragedies received minimal attention at the time.
It may already be too late for protesters concerned about this resurgence of a Middle Eastern autocracy, as Fifa president Gianni Infantino completed the process before they could fully voice their objections.
Infantino bizarrely stated that he felt “gay, African, and disabled” before Qatar advised women to “pick the right fights,” indicating he likely wouldn’t consider women’s treatment while awarding the World Cup.
According to Amnesty International, women “continue to face discrimination in legal matters, inheritance, marriage, divorce, and child custody.”
However, women have been advocating against this nonsense for decades, so we certainly aren’t anticipating Infantino to champion our causes.
I doubt either City or Newcastle regards Fifa’s actions as their concern.
The Premier League maintains rigorous regulations regarding transfer expenditures, and soon, new guidelines will oversee what can be disbursed in player salaries.
Ownership is rightly accessible to investments from global corporations.
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At present, nearly half of the clubs in the top tier are owned by American investors, along with proprietors from China, Pakistan, Thailand, Greece, and even England!
All these owners are multi-millionaires with established boardrooms.
The oil states solely comprise Arab royalty.
Infantino’s behavior certainly raises eyebrows.
It’s clear he prefers to function like an emperor, rearranging the fixture schedule while engaging in open hostilities with Uefa.
His Club World Cup disrupts the offseason and undermines the Champions League regarding significance.
Furthermore, any chance for a fair competition at the expanded World Cup in 2034 has been decisively shut down.
Infantino, trained as a lawyer, knows precisely how to achieve his goals and secure funding.
Upon his unopposed election as Fifa president in 2023, his annual salary, including bonuses, skyrocketed by 33 percent to over £5 million per year.
A Swiss-Italian, he currently resides in Florida and benefits from tax exemptions in the state.
While some nations, particularly Germany, have expressed concerns, he is likely to maintain the presidency until 2027 and may seek re-election for an additional four years.
The new Club World Cup is set to occur in 11 stadiums over a month next summer in the US.
Chelsea and City, based on their successes in the Champions League, will represent us. I wish them all the luck and extend my best wishes to our readers for the upcoming year.
